What happens when a monitored alarm goes off?

The signal reaches the Alarm Receiving Centre within seconds, an operator checks it against your response plan, and in most cases calls you first to see whether it is genuine. If they cannot reach you or the activation is confirmed, they escalate to your keyholders, a response company, or the police.

Almost all activations are false — caused by users, pets, insects, draughts, or faults. ARCs are set up on that assumption, which is why the first step is usually verification rather than dispatch.

You will normally be asked for a password. This matters: it is what distinguishes you from an intruder who has answered your phone. Choose one you will remember under stress and make sure everyone who uses the alarm knows it.

If the activation qualifies as confirmed — broadly, two independent signals suggesting a real intrusion rather than one stray detector — and the property holds a valid police Unique Reference Number, the ARC will pass it to the police as a confirmed activation, which is treated more urgently than an unconfirmed one.